Mayor Tom Henry today announced the City of Fort Wayne has selected a consultant team to lead a Downtown Riverfront Development Study.
SWA Group, an urban planning, design and landscape architecture firm working worldwide from seven locations, will lead the first comprehensive look at the City’s rivers to determine opportunities to enhance the riverfront. SWA has extensive expertise in riverfront development in the U.S. and around the world.
SWA’s team will include Fort Wayne-based MKM Architecture + Design; Biohabitats; Moffatt & Nichol; and AMEC. Additional information about SWA can be found at www.swagroup.com.
It’s anticipated the study will take 12-18 months to complete and work will begin next month. The study is a $500,000 investment funded by Legacy dollars.
The Downtown Riverfront Development Study is intended to provide the road map to a world class investment. Areas of focus will include land use; engineering and infrastructure investment; watershed issues; trail connectivity; access to the river; urban design guidelines; retail; entertainment; and housing.
City leaders emphasize the public will have an important role throughout the study process. Proactive outreach efforts will be used to gather input on the possibilities for transformational riverfront projects in Fort Wayne.
“The riverfront provides a valuable opportunity to position ourselves for future growth and success,” said Mayor Henry. “We look forward to working with SWA and learning from them on ways to make downtown riverfront development a sustainable reality for our community. The positive momentum we continue to see in our City is a tremendous indicator that we’re ready for transformational change.”